It is a Good Life we Lead
by Yunagirlamy
Summary: Ezio's birthday is tomorrow and Flavia knows just what to get her father-his favourite thing! The trouble is... she has no idea just what his favourite thing actually is.


**Author's notes: Ezio's my favourite Assassin, so I just ****_had_**** to write a birthday one-shot for him! Instantly I knew it ****_had_**** to include his children. We need to see more of them—I bet Ezio was an adorable father! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Assassin's Creed or its characters. **

"Mama, what's Papa's favourite thing in the whole world?"

Sofia smiled, raising a curious eyebrow at her little daughter. "His favourite thing? _Piccolo_, why do you want to know your papa's favourite thing?" Sofia had a small idea of why her daughter wanted an answer to that question – it was probably something to do with the fact that her husband's birthay was in a couple of days. The man would be turning sixty-one, much to his disdain.

"So I can give it him for his birthday!" Flavia replied, a wide grin on her face. "Then he'll have the best birthday ever!"

Sofia had an idea. "Flavia, I've got a good idea for you," she replied.

Flavia looked confused, but intrigued. "_Che cosa è_, Mama?"

Sofia bent down to her daughter, pulling her close. "Find it out for yourself. Spend some time with him, notice what makes him happy."

"But, Mama, what if Papa doesn't want to spend time with me?"

Sofia kissed Flavia's forehead. "You're his _piccola principessa_, Flavia. Of course he'll want to spend time with you." Sofia stood up, holding Flavia in her arms. "Why don't we go and find your father?"

Flavia nodded, resting against her mother. "He's outside, Mama, with Marcello." Sofia carried her seven-year-old daughter outside, greeted by the side of Ezio playing with his six-year-old son.

"_Non è possibile ottenere me_, Papa!" Marcello laughed, running from his father. Unknown to Marcello Ezio was just running slow on purpose. Marcello ran between the grape vines, Ezio on his heels.

"I'll get you soon enough, Marcello!" Ezio retorted, chuckling. Then, hearing someone exit the house, the retired Assassin looked to the side. "Marcello, _scusate un attimo_." Ezio slowed down to a walk and made his way over to his wife and daughter. "What's wrong with my _piccola principessa_, hm?" he asked, taking Flavia from Sofia's arms. "What's with the frowning, Flavia Auditore?"

"She wants to spend time with you," Sofia replied for her daughter, "But she's afraid you wouldn't want to."

Ezio frowned himself. "_Che cosa_? Why would I not want to spend time with my own daughter?"

"You're normally busy, Papa," Flavia answered.

Ezio shook his head. "I'm never too busy to spend time with my children."

"Come play with us, Flavia!" Marcello exclaimed. "Please, please!"

Flavia nodded. "I will, Marcello. Mama, what about you?"

"Mama has some work to be doing," Sofia replied, "but I don't mind. You play with your papa and do what he tells you."

"Yes, Mama."

Ezio grinned, putting his daughter down. "Go to your brother, I need to talk with your mother." Once Flavia went over to Marcello, Ezio turned to his wife. "Why does she _really_ think I wouldn't want to spend time with her?"

Sofia shook her head. "I am sorry, Ezio, but I don't know myself." Then the woman smiled. "But she wants to find out your favourite thing."

"My favourite thing?"

"Yes, so she can give it you for your birthday," Sofia responded, "but shush. You must not tell her what it is. It'll be nice for her to find out herself."

"I understand," Ezio chuckled. He wrapped his arms around Sofia's waist and gently pulled the woman towards him. "_Ti amo, mia cara moglie_," Ezio remarked, kissing his wife's lips softly.

"I love you, too," Sofia said. "Your children are waiting."

"Yes, and small children get impatient quickly," Ezio commented. "Your work is waiting."

"Yes, yes," Sofia said, waving her hand. "Go, shoo. Have fun with your children."

Ezio turned around—he was instantly greeted by the sight of Flavia and Marcello running around after each other, the sound of their laughter ringing through the air. The father smiled and moved over to them. "Can Papa join in?" he asked. The two children stopped and looked at their father, nodding. Ezio immediately picked the two up, one under each arm.

"Papa!" the brother and sister cried, but still laughing.

"Papa, put us down!" Flavia giggled.

"We wanna run!" Marcello added.

"Oh, you do?" Ezio asked, "Well, _I_ want to carry you, and as your father we do what I say."

"Oh, please, Papa?" Flavia asked, flashing a cute look up at him, "Your arms will get tired!"

"I will be fine, _mia bella figlia_."

"Are you sure, Papa?"

"I'm sure."

"But we still want to run!" Marcello exclaimed.

"_Bene_, _bene_," Ezio said, setting his children, "Tell you what: why don't we play _nascondino_? You hide and I'll seek."

"_Si_, _si_!" Flavia cried, bouncing up and down.

"_Sì, voglio giocare_!"

Ezio fondly rubbed the top of their heads. "Okay. Now, go and hide whilst I count to one hundred." Both children nodded enthusiastically and ran off in separate directions.

The retired Assassin loved spending his days with his children. He didn't know how much longer he had left with them, but he was determined to make the most of it. The only regret he had was that he didn't have his children earlier in his life, but then he _was_ busy saving Italy from Borgia rule. He wouldn't have wanted them to be at risk from the Borgias.

"_Pronti o no, qui io vengo_!" Ezio announced after he counted to one hundred. He spun around and scanned for his children. He wouldn't use his sense—that'd be cheating and cruel for his children.

However, Ezio _did_ already know where his children were. They always hid in the same place, thinking their father would forget each time they played. Flavia would be hiding in a bale of hay (Ezio insisted they keep some "just in case") and Marcello would be hiding in the grape vines, moving around as his father got closer. Ezio always had to admire his children's efforts, though they wouldn't make very good Assassin's – not that Ezio _wanted_ them too, of course. He never wanted that life for them.

"I wonder where my _bella figlia _is?" Ezio asked loudly, walking by the hay bale. "I don't think she's hiding in the hay. She _never_ hides there." Ezio then smirked and swiftly reached inside the hay bale—but Flavia was not in there. "Impressive, Flavia Auditore," Ezio admired, "but it won't be long before I find you." The sound of giggling reached his ears and the man turned, directing his eyes upon the barrel there. Ezio smiled, walked up and reached behind the barrel.

Flavia giggled as she lifted up from behind the barrel. "You found me, Papa! See, I didn't hide in the hay this time!"

"Very good, Flavia," Ezio grinned. He brought his daughter into a warm embrace. Flavia wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder.

"_Ti amo_, Papa."

"_Ti amo_, Flavia."

Ezio never wanted this moment to end.

"Flavia," Sofia gently called as she shook her daughter, "Flavia, time to wake up."

Flavia shook her head and buried herself under her bed covers. "I don't want to, Mama."

Sofia frowned. "Why not? It's your father's birthday. He'll be sad if you choose to spend the day in bed."

At this Flavia began crying. "M-Mama, I didn't find out what his favourite thing is!" the girl sobbed, "N-Now I have nothing to give him!" The girl turned onto her stomach and sobbed into her pillow. Sofia pursed her lips together before getting up and exiting the room.

A few minutes later Ezio was the one to enter. He sat down on his daughter's bed and softly stroked her brown hair. "My _bella _Flavia, what is wrong? Why are you crying?"

"I-I don't have anything to give you for your birthday!" the young Auditore sobbed, "I w-wanted to give you your favourite thing but I don't know what it is!"

Ezio gently picked his daughter up onto his lap. Flavia started sobbing into his chest.

"I already have my favourite thing," Ezio cooed, rubbing her back.

Flavia looked up, tears streaming from her eyes. "R-Really? What is it?"

Ezio grinned. "I'm holding one of them."

Puzzled, Flavia scanned around her father's lap to see if he was holding anything else. "But, Papa, you're only holding me."

"Exactly."

It took a few moments, but it dawned on Flavia. "Me and Marcello are your favourite things?"

"What else?" Ezio replied, "Plus your mother. I don't need anything else in life as long as I have my family. You have already given me everything I need—and more. So," Ezio wiped his daughter's tears away with his thumbs, "no more crying, my _bella principessa_."

Flavia couldn't help but laugh. "Si, Papa."

**AN: Buon compleanno al nostro mentore! **

**Yunagirlamy, 24.6.14.**


End file.
